Hailey Potter - The Girl Who Survived
by Whakatron
Summary: "You're a witch, Hailey" Hailey Potter's world changed over night on her eleventh birthday when a giant man named Hagrid broke into her life and showed her a world full of magic. Follow Hailey Potter, the girl who survived, in this gender-swap story surrounding the social aspects of what would happen if the chosen one turned out to be a girl.


**Hailey Potter**

 **The girl and the giant**

Boom, boom, boom! Once again came the sound that could be described only as the firing of a cannon, according to Dudley that is. Mr and Mrs Dursley came running down the stairs, Mr Dursley holding a hunting rifle in his hands and aiming it at the front door, where the noise was coming from. What happened next seemed more like a fairytale than an actual account of what happened, Hailey thought to herself. The door was simply torn of its hinges and a giant of a man came in through the opening. After having stepped into the room, the giant turned around and put the door back on its hinges with ease.

"Hailey Potter" the giant uttered in a loud, deep voice. Still in shock by what just happened, Hailey was unable to formulate even the simplest of words in order to respond.

Before she could regain her footing, uncle Vernon took a step forward the giant and told him, "You are trespassing on private property, I demand that you leave at once". Hailey looked upon the scene that was unfolding in front of her and noticed right away that even tho uncle Vernon was pointing a gun at the intruder and making demands, he was clearly terrified looking at how he was desperately trying not to shake in terror and failing at that. The giant looked angrily at Vernon and gave of a small chuckle, he then in one swift move took the gun from his hands and like it was a pretzel, he bent it. After giving the pretzel looking rifle back to uncle Vernon, he turned his attention onto the still a bit confused Hailey.

"Well hello sweetie, happy 11th birthday to you" said the giant to Hailey in a much softer but equally deep voice as used before. Still not fully able to comprehend the current situation she was finding herself in, Hailey asked the giant in a obviously confused voice. "How.. how did you know that it's my birthday, and my 11th one at that." The giant gave of a big, warm smile and said "well of course I know it's your birthday Hailey, I did know your parents after all, lovely folks they were."

"You knew my parents?" Hailey asked, shining with excitement at the prospect. The giant started to search through the many pockets of his robe, clearly looking for something. He then took forth a small package, which when opened contained a slightly crushed chocolate flavored cake with the words _happy birthday Hailey Potter_ written upon it. The giant then apologized for the cake being in the condition it was in.

" It is possible that I might have sat upon it at one point but it should be fine. Lily and James Potter were two of the most magnificent people I have ever had the honor to meet, among wizards and muggles alike. I know that they would have loved to be here but I am here in their stead tho everyone should have a wonderful and magical birthday."

"Wizards?" Hailey asked the giant.

"Yes, wizards and some of the best at that" the giant said proudly. Hailey not able to believe what she just heard responded with "Their is no such thing as wizards.. right?"

"No such thing as wizards you say" the giant said in a sarcastic voice while picking up his umbrella and with a small hand movement, a ball made entirely of burning fire appeared and launched itself onto the fireplace, lighting the room up in an instant and filling it with an overwhelming warmth.

Everyone in the room went quiet in shock of the events that had just transpired, none more in shock than little sweet Hailey who then uttered in a very low and soft voice "who are you?" The giant stood up straight and said "Well, my apologies. I am Rubeus Hagrid, gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Not knowing what Hogwarts was, Hailey asked Hagrid "What's Hogwarts?" Hagrid not being able to fully process what he had just heard said "Hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardry of course, the best magic school in the world for young wizards to grow and learn magic. Your parents went there and so will you now that you're of age."

"Me.. at a magic school" exclaimed Hailey filled with such excitement that she could no longer stay in one place, taking another step closer to Hagrid.

"Well of course you're going to Hogwarts, you are a wizard Hailey." What followed was more like an exchange of insult and firm statements than an actual civilized conversation between Hagrid and the Dursleys.

"No! Absolutely not" aunt Petunia screamed, whom had been completely silent until this moment. Uncle Vernon was soon to follow with "She isn't going to that place, and she is not going to become even weirder than she already is" "like her parents, my disgrace of a sister and her just as weird man" aunt Petunia added.

"She is going to study at Hogwarts under the guidance of some of the best wizards and witches in the world, and of course given the privilege of Albus Dumbledore's wisdom and protection" Hagrid demanded

"Protection..protection from what exactly" Hailey asked, not sure of what dangers she could possibly need protecting from. Hagrid started to try and say something but stopped himself, he was shaking in his boots and his face became pale as that of a snowman, he was clearly terrified of this danger he spoke of. What it was that had someone looking like him so scared, she could not fathom. "Not all wizards are good folks like your parents, some choose a much darker path and the worst of them all is a man of such wickedness that I dare not speak his name. He is the one who killed your parents and he tried to kill you as well." Hagrid explained.

"Killed my parents!" Hailey exclaimed. "I thought that they died in a car crash". Hagrid looked surprised by this and asked Hailey "A car crash killed Lily and James Potter? Impossible! Why would you think such a thing?"

"That's what I was told" she answered. His gaze wandered over to the Dursleys, Hagrid was filled with rage.

"You didn't tell her? Did you not give her the letter? It explains everything."

The Dursleys were now all gathering behind uncle Vernon, and aunt Petunia replied with " of course we didn't. We want nothing to do with you people and your unnatural ways. I still remember the day my sister got her letter, so happy our parents were. They could not see the monster she was and after meeting that boy she only got worse. Good riddance, I say." Petunia went on to say "she's bad enough to take care of, the little monster as she is, but you expect us to let you turn her into even more of a freak, there is no chance." Hagrid, who was now boiling with fury at the Dursleys, replied with "You have no say in the matter, it's part of the deal you made with Albus Dumbledore." This went on for sometime but eventually it calmed down and everyone laid to rest.

Hailey opened her eyes and allowed herself to once again recollect the events of the night before. A giant named Hagrid, coming to take her away to a school where she will learn about magic spells and the sort, the very same school that her parents went to. While still in deep thought about whether or not it actually happened, Hailey stood up and took a look around the room. Dudley laid down across the floor with his face straight down and breathing heavily, Hagrid had taken the couch, which could barely hold him and even a leg had collapsed under his weight. Aunt Petunia was nowhere to be seen, but uncle Vernon was, he was holding a position in the staircase, half asleep and half awake. In one hand the rifle that Hagrid had bent and in the other a golf club.

Soon Hagrid awoke and quickly he and Hailey was on their way. As they were leaving Hagrid noticed that his umbrella was nowhere to be found, "where is my umbrella!" he shouted in a voice that caused the floor to shake and roof to squeak. As he scouted the room for his missing umbrella, he saw a round figure trying to leave the room unnoticed. Hagrid quickly walked to the figure and with one hand lifted it from the ground, it was Dudley. He started to squeak, "I want one, I don't have one like that." Hagrid said with a smug smile, "well if you are going to act like a pig, I will make you look like one." Suddenly Dudley found himself with a pigtail. Hailey and Hagrid were soon of.

Having arrived in London, they soon found themself outside a old and quite rundown building with a sign hanging from it.

"The Leaky Cauldron?" Said Hailey

"Yes, we can find everything we need through here" answered Hagrid. " Make sure now to stay close by sweetie, not every wizard is like your parent and I wouldn't want you to have to endure anymore pain than you already have" Hagrid said in a sad, worried voice that to Hailey sounded more patronized than anything else.

As they entered they were greeted by the view of a shabby establishment that provided alcohol, sleeping quarters and most importantly the gateway between the muggle world and a place by the name of Diagon Alley. When inside, Hagrid was happily welcomed as a regular at the bar.

"Hello Hagrid, the usual?" asked the barkeeper. Being on official Hogwarts business, he kindly declined the offer.

"Not today I'm afraid, on official business." The barkeeper eyes wandered over to the little girl by Hagrid's side and with a wonderingly look he asked "Who is this we have here then?" Hagrid put his hands firmly on the shoulders of Hailey and presented her, "this is Hailey Potter!" The place fell quiet for a moment then filled again with people talking over each other, making it incomprehensible.

Hagrid took her over to a man at the end of the bar and started talking. "Professor Quirrell, what are you doing here?" Hagrid then turned to Hailey and said. "This is professor Quirrell and he will be your teacher in defense against the dark arts, you might not be as lucky next time so best to be prepared."

"Well it's a honor to meet you Hailey Potter, such a brave little girl." Quirrell stated. Hailey, not sure of why it would be an honor to meet her she asked, "Why is meeting me such an honor?" Confused by this Quirrell looked over at Hagrid who then said "Well the thing is that you are the only person to have survived being targeted by you know who and this makes you famous. There isn't a wizard alive who doesn't know the name of Hailey Potter!"

After being greeted and even thanked by a few, Hailey and Hagrid went out the back and was faced with a brick wall. Hagrid then proceeded to tap the bricks with his umbrella in a certain sequence, followed by the wall opening itself and creating a passage into a street filled with people and strange looking stores. The sky overhead was filled with owls flying all over the place and the store windows were filled with objects that Hailey could not recognize. They soon arrived at a giant building.

 _Gringotts Wizarding Bank_ it said on a sign.

"This is the only bank for wizards and next only to Hogwarts in security. Here we will get the money your parents left you and I have business here anyway." They went down deep underground by a train carriage and stopped at two locations before returning to the surface. The first time was in front of number 713, which was a giant vault that seemed to only contain a small package. Hagrid went and picked it up and then they were of. The second time was in front of her parents vault where she obtained a large amount of currency left for her.

After leaving the bank, the pair went into a number of stores in order to get the supplies they needed and soon Hagrid went of somewhere while telling Hailey to get her cloaks fitted and to not wander of since it could be dangerous for her. As she entered the store, she was greeted by a elderly women who guided her into a room where she started talking measurements.

"Well hello beautiful, going to Hogwarts you too?" Said a voice from the other side of the room. It was a young boy with blonde hair who was also getting his cloaks fitted for the first semester.

"What house are you joining? I'm going to be in Slytherin, just like the rest of my family has been." Hailey remained quiet with a confused look on her face. The boy went on to say, "Of course you won't know for sure until the sorting but I'm a Malfoy so. Draco Malfoy and from what family are you?" Draco looked upon Hailey, inspecting her from top to bottom. "You aren't one of them are you? A filthy mudblood? Are both your parents wizards?" he asked, still inspecting her every reaction. Hailey nodded and said "Yes, they were", trying to keep the conversation to a minimum since she thought he was acting like a pompous moron.

Draco went on to brag about his family and how he deserved to have special privileges because of it, then he went on to talking about something called quidditch and how he was going to lead Slytherin to victory. Hailey was filled with relief as she saw Hagrid appear outside the window, waving at them. "Who's that?" Draco asked Hailey.

"That's Hagrid, he works at Hogwarts."

"Ahh..I have heard of him, he's an embarrassment of a wizard and lives in a shaggy lodging at the end of school grounds with his hideous pets." Hailey, having had enough responded with "well I think he's a wonderful wizard."

"Do you now?" Draco asked while making it clear that he was losing interest in her.

Having finished with the fitting, Hailey met up with Hagrid outside and continued to finish their shopping while enjoying a cold, sweet ice cream. Soon they reached their final destination, mr Ollivander's wand store. Hagrid waited outside as Hailey went inside. Once inside she was greeted and quickly recognized.

"Well if it isn't Hailey Potter, the girl who survived." Mr Ollivander went to the back of the store and climbed up a ladder, picking a small box from one of the shelfs.

"I knew you would come here eventually, I helped your folks and now I get to help you." He continued on presenting a ton of different wands and having her test them out by wiping it, resulting in boxes flying of the shelfs, the windows cracking, some papers on a desk suddenly cashing fire and much more. Eventually he mumbled to himself, "What if? No it couldn't be.. but what if? He went to get another box containing a wand and handed it over to Hailey.

As soon as Hailey grabbed a hold of the wand, the room light up with a mysterious light and wind was blowing throughout the room, even when there were no open windows in the store. Mr Ollivander looked at Hailey while uttering the same word over and over again, "curious, curious indeed." Hailey asked him what it was that was so curious to him? He responded with, "well you see, the wand chooses its wizard and this one contains the tail feather of a phoenix that gave one other, just one. It is curious that you would be destined for this one, when its brother belongs to the one who gave you that scar.

When she went out from the store with her new wand she saw the reason to why Hagrid hadn't followed her in to Mr Ollivander. He was standing outside waiting for her, holding a big snow white owl in a cage.

"Happy birthday sweetie"

Hailey and Hagrid finished their business and returned to the Dursleys where she would stay until the start of the semester.

 **THE JOURNEY FROM PLATFORM NINE AND THREE-QUARTERS**

Hailey's last month with the Dursleys wasn't any fun at all. In fact, it was terrible but at least now she knew that Dudley was so scared of her that he refused to stay in the same room as her whenever Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't lock Hailey in the cupboard under the stairs. It was as if they had completely stopped speaking to her at all. The Dursleys were terrified of Hailey and would act tough whenever Hailey wasn't around, but whenever she was, they wouldn't speak a word out of fear. This was an improvement for Hailey, to get them off her back, but it did become depressing after a while.

Hailey would stay in her room accompanied by her new owl who she had decided to call Hedwig, a name she found in A History of Magic. Her new school books were very interesting, and she would lay on her bed late into night reading them. Aunt Petunia had stopped from coming in to Hailey's room to vacuum anymore since Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice whenever she flew out in the open air. Hailey had a piece of paper that she ticked off every night before going to sleep, it was to remind her of how many days were left until she would leave for Hogwarts on September the first.

On the last day of August Hailey thought she would speak to her aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, so she went down to the living room while they were watching a quiz show on tv. Hailey cleared her throat to indicate she was standing there, and Dudley became so afraid of her that he ran off screaming.

"Uncle Vernon?", she said with a soft tone.

"Eh… I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow… to.. to go to Hogwarts".

Uncle Vernon grunted and didn't say a word.

"Would you be able to give me a lift?", Hailey asked.

Uncle Vernon grunted again, and Hailey supposed that meant yes.

"Thank you", she said.

As she was about to go back upstairs to her room, Uncle Vernon spoke.

"What a funny way to get to a wizards' school… by train. Magic carpets all got punctures, right?"

Hailey didn't speak a word.

Uncle Vernon asked where this school was located, and Hailey responded that she didn't know. She came to realize this for the first time as she was pulling out the ticket out of her pocket. The only thing Hailey knew was that she was supposed to take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock. Hailey's aunt and uncle starred at her as if she had said something wrong.

"Nine and Nine And Three-Quarters", they both asked.

Hailey responded yes, which had her uncle burst out "Don't be foolish, there is no platform nine and three-quarters."

Hailey handed Uncle Vernon her ticket to show him that there was a platform nine and three-quarters. Uncle Vernon said he would take Hailey to King's Cross station the next day since they were going to London anyways.

"Why are you going to London", Hailey asked with a soft friendly tone.

"I am taking Dudley to the hospital, got to have that bloody tail removed before someone sees it".

The next morning Hailey woke up at five o'clock, she was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. She got up and put her pants on since she didn't wanted to walk into the station in her wizard's robes, she would change her clothes on the train. Hailey checked her list, she had to tick off all things she needed for Hogwarts, she had everything she needed and made sure that even Hedwig was shut safely in her cage. She then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. Two hours later the Dursley had woken up and gotten themselves ready. Hailey's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the car and Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Hailey. They were now ready and had set off.

They had reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon unloaded Hailey's trunk and placed it onto a cart for Hailey and wheeled it into the station for her. Hailey couldn't stop thinking that this was strangely kind of Uncle Vernon, to drop her off at the station and now help her wheel the heavy trunk into the station.

Uncle Vernon wheeled the cart until they reached platform nine.

"See platform nine, platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they haven't built it yet, right?"

Hailey noticed Uncle Vernon was right. There were only big signs of number nine and ten, but not nine and three-quarters. There was nothing in the middle.

Uncle Vernon faced Hailey and wished a good term with a nasty smile. He left without saying a word. Hailey turned and saw the Dursleys taking off, all three of them laughing. Hailey didn't know what was going on and she had started to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. She knew she would have to ask someone for direction.

Hailey stopped a guard to ask but she didn't dare to ask for the platform. Instead she asked if the guard knew how to get to Hogwarts. The guard didn't know and Hailey could't even tell him what part of the country it was located in. The guard was starting to get annoyed as Hailey asked for the eleven o'clock train, he replied there wasn't any and walked away. Hailey tried not to panic as she had only ten minutes left before the train left for Hogwarts and she was now stranded in the middle of the station not knowing what to do.

She started wondering if Hagrid had forgotten to tell her something necessary, like what to do or something, just like when getting into Diagon Alley. She started wondering whether or not to take out her wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between the platforms nine and ten.

At that moment she noticed a group passed by and she caught a few words of what they were saying.

"Packed with Muggles, of course…"

Hailey turned around and noticed the big round woman who was talking. She also noticed that each of them had an owl placed on the trunk, just like Hailey. She pushed her cart after them until they stopped, and so did she.

The woman asked her boys what platform it was. "Nine and three-quarters", replied a red-headed girl. She asked her mom why she couldn't leave, and her mom replied she wasn't old enough.

Hailey watched carefully how the oldest boy marched towards the platform and didn't even blink in case she would miss it. She saw how the boy vanished into the dividing barrier between the platforms. The mother of the boys called their names to let them know who was next. She mixed up the names of her two boys Fred and George, at least she thought she did when her son Fred decided to pull a joke before running off to the platform.

"Excuse me", Hailey said to the big woman.

Before saying anything else the woman knew it was Hailey's first time to Hogwarts and asked her not to worry as this was also her youngest son's first time. Hailey noticed this tall and thin boy with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose. He tried to stay in his mother shadow as he was shy. Hailey then asked how to get to the platform since she had never done it before. The woman asked her youngest boy Ron to go first since Hailey was a bit scared.

Once Ron had walked off to platform nine and three-quarters it was now Hailey's turn. She started walking quickly and as she got closer to the barrier, she started thinking that she was going to smash right into the barrier. When she was no longer in control over the speed of the cart, Hailey held onto it firmly and closed her eyes ready for the crash. But she noticed she didn't crash. She opened her eyes and noticed the scarlet steam engine that was waiting next to the platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock. She slightly turned around and saw the sign that indicated Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Hailey had done it on time.

Hailey tried to find a seat and noticed that the first few carriages were already full of people winking to their parents. She kept pushing her cart and passed a boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."

The woman standing with the boy replied, "Oh, Neville", and Hailey heard her sigh.

Hailey kept pushing her cart until she found an empty seat in a compartment near the end of the train. She placed Hedwig inside first and then started pushing her heavy trunk. As she tried to lift it she dropped it painfully on her foot.

Hailey was offered help by the two boys she had seen earlier at the dividing barrier at King's cross station. She noticed they were twins, with a charming glimpse in their eyes. They helped Hailey to place her heavy trunk into a corner of the compartment. Once they had put the trunk safely into the corner, one of the twins noticed Hailey's scar on her forehead. The other twin rushed towards his brother and Hailey to see what it was. It was as if he already knew who she was. "Aren't you… Aren't you Hailey Potter?", the twin asked. Hailey responded yes with her soft voice and assured the twins that she in fact were Hailey Potter. Before walking away to their compartment, the twins looked at Hailey on more time and then hopped off the train.

Hailey noticed how the boy's mother was standing and talking to her boys, kissing them goodbye and warning them about doing anything stupid at Hogwarts. The twins told their mom about their encounter with Hailey Potter. Their youngest sister Ginny asked her mother if she could go see her again. The mother replied she had already seen her once. As they were talking to each other, a whistle sounded. The boy's mother then asked her boys to hurry up and get on the train. Ginny waved her brothers goodbye.

As the train began to move, Hailey watched the boys wave to their mother and how they started disappearing as the train started to move faster. Hailey felt excited. She didn't know what felt better, leaving the Dursleys or going to Hogwarts. However, she knew she was excited to go to Hogwarts, the school her own parents attended.

Hailey walked towards the compartment with the open door, "Come in", said a girl with long curly hair. Hailey took a seat in the compartment and noticed Ron, the shy freckled boy she had met earlier. The twins came to the compartment to let Ron know they were going down the middle of the train to see another boy's hairy tarantula. Before leaving they looked at Hailey once again and the other twin then said, "Hailey, we didn't introduce ourselves, did we? Fred and George Weasley, and this is our brother Ron."

"Bye" said Hailey and Ron.

Ron then asked with a shy and low tone, "Are you really Hailey Potter?"

Hailey nodded and pulled back her hair to show Ron her scar. Ron wanted to know if Hailey remembered how she got it but he was too shy to ask. He took a deep breath and asked with his shy tone if Hailey remembered how she got it. She didn't. Hailey didn't remember anything about the night You-Know-Who gave her that scar. She said she only remember the lights but nothing else.

Hailey asked Ron if they were all wizards in his family. Hailey found Ron interesting and wanted to know more about him.

"Eh… yes, I think so", replied Ron. He then said that his mom has a cousin who is an accountant but that they don't talk about him. Hailey asked Ron if they knew any magic since the Weasleys were one of the old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley talked about. Ron asked Hailey how she found it living with Muggles, as they were called. She told Ron about some of her horrific experiences with the Dursleys and told him how she wished she had three wizard brothers. Ron told her about his five brothers and that he is the sixth in his family going to Hogwarts. He told Hailey that his brother Bill was the head boy and that Charlie was Captain of Quidditch and that Percy is a prefect. He also told her that Fred and George mess around a lot but that they still get great marks and how everyone finds them funny.

He later on reached for his jacket to pull out a fat gray rat which was asleep. Ron said his name was Scabbers and that he was useless since he barely wakes up. He kept on telling Hailey about how his brother Percy got an owl when he was made prefect and that Ron received a rat instead. Hailey noticed how Ron's ears became pink. Ron noticed the look on Hailey's face and became shyer as he knew he had said too much. They both sat quiet for a while watching the fields and lanes the train passed.

As they were sitting there quiet, they heard a clattering outside in the corridor. A woman slid back their door and asked, "Anything form the cart?"

Hailey didn't have any breakfast before leaving and so she rushed to get money out of her pocket to buy some candy. Ron held up his sandwich to show he already had a snack brought along. Hailey never had any money when living with the Dursleys, so she wanted to get everything she fancied from the cart. She brought it all back to the compartment and Ron noticed how much she had bought and felt a bit jealous since he only Had his sandwich. As Ron unwrapped his box, Hailey noticed the sandwiches inside and Ron said how his mother always forgets that he doesn't like corned beef. Hailey asked Ron to swap a sandwich for some pasty. He put away his sandwiches and felt shy to take the pasty that Hailey offered. "Go on, take it", said Hailey and they both started to dig into all the sweets Hailey had bought from the cart. Hailey held up a box of Chocolate Frogs and asked Ron what it was. She then asked if it was real frogs. Ron said no and showed Hailey that the box of Chocolate Frogs contains a card inside them to collect, cards of famous witches and wizards. "I've got five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy", Ron said.

Hailey took out the card inside the box and saw the picture of Albus Dumbledore and asked if that was how he looks like. Ron was shocked that Hailey had never heard of Dumbledore and asked if he could have a Chocolate Frog. Ron told Hailey about Dumbledore, about how he is the greatest wizards of modern times and about his fame of defeating the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945. He kept on telling Hailey how Dumbledore discovered the twelve uses for dragon's blood. As Ron was telling her this, she noticed how Dumbledore's picture disappeared from the back of the card and Ron told her that they do so. They both kept on eating the Chocolate Frogs and once they finished, Hailey picked up a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"You might want to be careful with those", Ron warned Hailey. "They are flavored with with ordinary things like chocolate, peppermint and strawberry, but you can also get flavors such as spinach, liver and tripe", said Ron. Ron took a bean out of the bag and bit into it.

"Sprouts", he said.

As they were eating candy, a boy knocked on the door. Hailey recognized the round-face boy who had lost his toad. The boy looked tearful and asked if any of them had seen his toad. They both shook their heads and the boy started crying. Hailey then said that the toad would hopefully turn up again to comfort the round-faced boy named Neville. He then turned around and left their compartment. As Ron was making fun of the lost toad, the boy came back again but this time with a girl who was already dressed in her new Hogwarts robe. She asked them if they had seen Neville's lost toad in a bossy voice. Ron replied that they already told the boy they hadn't seen it as he was holding his wand in his hand. The girl noticed the wand and asked Ron to show her the magic he knew. She took a seat next to Hailey and waited for Ron to show his magic.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow", Ron casted. But the rat stayed grey and fat and didn't even wake up for its nap.

The girl started doubting Ron's ability to cast a spell and told him that he wasn't any good. She kept on telling them how she was the only one in her family who will be going to Hogwarts and that she had learned all of their course books by heart. She then introduced herself fast by saying, "I am Hermione Granger, who are you?"

Hailey and Ron looked at each other and Ron muttered, "I'm Ron."

Hailey then introduced herself as Hailey Potter, which seemed to interest Hermione as she told Hailey she knew all about her. As Hermione was talking to Hailey, she got up and took the toad-less boy by his hand to keep looking for his missing toad. As she left Ron told Hailey how he hopes he doesn't end up in the same house as Hermione and threw his wand back into his trunk. Hailey asked Ron what house his brothers were in and Ron replied, "Gryffindor". He kept telling Hailey about how he also wanted to end up in Gryffindor and that if he didn't, he wouldn't mind Ravenclaw. However, Ron said he didn't want to end up in Slytherin. Hailey asked Ron if that's the house You-Know-Who was in and Ron said yes.

Hailey asked Ron what wizards do, once they finish school and Ron told her how her brothers were studying abroad. They kept on talking about how someone had tried to rob a high security vault. How someone had tried to get around Gringotts and that it must have been dark wizards. Hailey didn't bother any further about the news Ron told her, but she was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. She would feel more comfortable saying "Voldemort" instead.

Ron asked Hailey which Quidditch team she belonged to, but she confessed not knowing any teams. Ron looked at her and told her how it's the best sport and started explaining how the game is played. As they were talking about Quidditch, the compartment door slid open again. Hailey noticed the pale boy she had seen in Diagon Alley. The pale boy kept looking at Hailey and asked if she were indeed Hailey Potter.

"Yes", replied Hailey as the pale boy introduced himself as Draco Malfoy and the other two boys with him as Crabbe and Goyle. Draco noticed the smug smile on Rons face and told him how his father had told him about the looks of the Weasleys and how they have a lot more children than they can afford. Draco then turned back to Hailey telling her how she wants to be careful with whom she becomes friends with and offered her to reach out to him if she needed protection from harms way. Draco held his hand out waiting for Hailey to shake it, but she didn't do so. Instead she said she is fully capable of deciding herself whom she becomes friends with. Draco warned Hailey to be politer or else she would end up the same way as her parents did. Draco kept disrespecting who Hailey had become friends with which made both Hailey and Ron very angry. Crabbe and Goyle approached Hailey and Ron and before they knew it, Scabbers woke up and and bit Goyle's knuckle as Crabbe and Draco swung the rat around until he flew off and they could run off.

Hermione had heard the loud noises coming from their compartment and went to ask them what was going on as she saw Ron picking up his knocked-out rat Scabbers. Hermione asked Hailey if she had meet Draco before and Hailey told her about the encounter in Diagon Alley. Hermione then told both Hailey and Ron to put their robes on as the train was approaching Hogwarts. She also told Ron how he needs to be careful and not to fight at Hogwarts. As they both watched Hermione walk away, they put their robes on and got ready to get off.

As they got off the train, Hagrid approached and asked Hailey to follow him through what seems to be a steep, narrow path. Hagrid led the first-year students to the boats taking them into Hogwarts. As they were under the castle, Hagrid handed Neville what seemed to be the missing toad while the students were climbing out of the boats.

 **THE SORTING HAT**

When they entered Hogwarts, the door immediately swung open and at the entrance stood a tall, black-haired witch dressed in emerald-green robe. Hailey noticed the witches stern face and her first thought was not to cross this person. Hagrid then said, "The first-years, Professor McGonagall. The professor thanked Hagrid and pulled the door wide open. The entrance hall was so big that it would fit the entire of Dursley's house in it thought Hailey. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches and the ceiling was too high, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

As they were following Professor McGonagall, Hailey could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right. "The rest of the school must already be here", said Professor McGonagall. As they stood in the empty chamber of the hall, Professor McGonagall greeted them and welcomed them to Hogwarts. She told them that before they take their seats in the Great Hall with the rest of the students, they had to be sorted into their houses. Professor McGonagall explained to the students how important the sorting hat ceremony is since this will decide what house they will be in during their time at Hogwarts.

She continued explaining that there are four houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin and that each house has its history with producing great wizards and witches. She kept on telling them that their triumphs will earn their houses points, while any actions against the rules will cost their houses points and that at the end of the year, the house with the most points are awarded the house cup.

"The Sorting Ceremony will shortly begin in front of the rest of the school, I suggest you smarten up as much as you possibly can while waiting", said Professor McGonagall.

The professor noticed Neville's cloak, which had fastened under his left ear, and the dirt on Ron's nose. Hailey became nervous and tried to flatten her fringe to cover her scar. The professor looked at Neville and Ron and said that she would come back for them shortly. As she left the chamber, Hailey asked Ron how they will be sorted into houses and as Ron replied by some kind of test, Hailey became more nervous and felt how her heart started pounding faster. She felt a lump stuck in her stomach an asked Ron if it was going to be in front of the whole school and became more nervous as she hadn't learned any magic yet. Hailey turned around anxiously and noticed how all the first-year students looked terrified just as she did. Hailey kept thinking about how she would have to take home a school report to the Dursleys explaining her failures. The students knew that Professor McGonagall would be back any minute now.

As they were waiting for the professor to come back, Hailey jumped and several students behind her started screaming. She gasped, just like the others around her. They saw about twenty ghosts that had streamed through the wall. White and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly looking at the first-year students. As the ghosts were talking to each other, one of them wearing ruff and tights had noticed the first years. The students stayed quiet, nobody said a word.

"New students!", said the fat ghost smiling at them. "You're about to be sorted, aren't you?", he said with a smile. A few of the students nodded without saying a word.

"I hope to see you in Hufflepuff, my old house", said the ghost.

Professor McGonagall had returned and one by one started the ghosts floating away through the opposite wall. She asked the students to form a line and to follow her into the Great Hall. Hailey stood behind a boy with sandy hair and behind her stood Ron. As they walked into the Great Hall the first-year students admired the strange and magnificent place. It was lit by at least a thousand candles that were floating in the air above four long tables, where the rest of the school were sitting. They also noticed that at the top of the hall there was a long table where the teachers were sitting. The professor led them up there as hundreds of faces were staring at them. Hailey was nervous and she didn't dare to look at the students they passed. To avoid their faces she kept looking around, admiring the ceiling dotted with stars.

She heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to make it look like the sky. I have read about it in Hogwarts."

Hailey looked at Professor McGonagall who had placed a stool in front of them where they would come up one by on to sit on it and have a pointed wizard's hat put on their heads. The hat was patched and extremely dirty. As Hailey were looking at the hat, she started thinking that maybe they would have to pull out something out of it since she noticed how it caught everyone's attention. For a few seconds, there was complete silence, and then the hat twitched and began to sing about how it can determine the student's houses and that there is no hat smarter. The song kept going on singing about how they might belong to Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Once the hat finished singing the entire hall started applauding as it bowed to the four tables before going completely silent again.

With a shy tone, Ron whispered to Hailey about how he would get back at his brother Fred for scaring Ron by telling him they would have to wrestle a troll. Hailey smiled and felt relieved about having to try the hat on for being sorted and not for having to show any magic as a test.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward and started calling the first-year student's names. "Abbott, Hannah!", she called out.

A shy girl with pink face and blonde hair stepped forward and sat down on the stool. The hat was still completely silent before bursting out, "HUFFLEPUFF."

The students that sat at the right table cheered and clapped as Hannah went to join her new house mates.

"Bones, Susan!", called the professor again.

As the girl sat down and the hat placed on her head, "HUFFLEPUFF!", the hat shouted again, and Susan went off to sit next to Hannah.

The professor kept on calling the students name as Hailey started to feel nervous about being sorted into the house of Slytherin after hearing bad things about them. She remembered how she would always be picked the last at her old school.

As the hat kept sorting the first-years into their houses, Hailey noticed how it took a little while sorting some into their houses, as if the hat was doubting where to place them. She saw how the sandy-haired boy, named Seamus Finnigan, were sorted into the house of Gryffindor.

When Seamus stepped down to join Gryffindor at the table, Professor McGonagall called out Hermione's name. Hermione ran to the stool, eager to put the hat on and being sorted into her house. Once it was place on her head the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR", and Ron immediately groaned as he didn't want to be sorted into the same house as her. The boy who kept losing his toad, Neville, were also sorted into Gryffindor. He then ran off to join the table of Gryffindor with the sorting hat still placed on his head and made everyone laugh.

When Draco Malfoy's name were called out, he walked pass Hailey giving her a smug smile as if she had lost a lot by turning down his offer of protection. He made his way to the stool and were sorted into the house of Slytherin, having him following the same footstep as his father. Draco joined his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself being sorted into Slytherin.

Next up was Hailey. When the professor called out her name, Hailey felt anxious as she stepped forward hearing how people around her asking if it actually was THE Hailey Potter. When she was walking forward to sit on the stool, she noticed how everyone was craning to get a good look at her. Next thing she was already sitting and the hat was placed on her head. She waited for the hat to start speaking.

"Hmm.. Difficult.. Very difficult", the hat said. The hat kept going on about how Hailey was eager to prove herself and about how much courage and talent Hailey had. The Sorting Hat didn't know where to place Hailey as it felt great potential in every house in Hogwarts. Hailey didn't want to be placed into Slytherin and the hat questioned Hailey about it. A short moment later the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR", and Hailey was relieved as she ran off to sit at the Gryffindor table. The Weasley twins were pleased with having Hailey sorted into Gryffindor as she caught both of their attention.

When Hailey was seated, Hagrid gave her a thumbs up and Hailey grinned back with a smile on her face. She had also noticed Albus Dumbledore at the higher table. He sat there with his silver hair that shined as brightly as the ghosts in the Great Hall. Hailey also noticed Professor Quirrell, a nervous young man with his purple turban on.

The first-years kept on being sorted into their houses and Ron was still waiting for his turn. Lastly, Ron's name was called, and he rushed to the stool. As he sat there most students had already noticed how Ron was becoming more nervous. It was as if he had turned pale as anxious as he was. Hailey, who already had been sorted, crossed her fingers under the table, wishing that Ron too would be sorted into Gryffindor. A few seconds later the hat shouted Gryffindor and Ron instantly ran off to join his new friends and brothers in the house of Gryffindor.

When all the first-years had been sorted, professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll with the student's names and took the Sorting Hat away.

Hailey started feeling hungry and looked down on the empty golden plate in front of her wishing that they would eat soon.

Albus Dumbledore stood up to welcome the new students and looked pleased with all of the students gathered in front of him.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!", he said and kept on giving the students a few words before beginning the banquet. He then sat down as everybody started clapping and cheering and Hailey were confused whether she was supposed to laugh or not. She then asked Percy if Dumbledore was a bit mad, and Percy replied that Albus Dumbledore is a genius, and yes, a bit mad as well.

Before Hailey looked down on her golden plate again, the dishes in front of her were already filled with food. She had never seen so much food before and so many varieties, so she started digging in. Hailey were pleased with the food as the fat ghost in front of her said he haven't eaten in nearly four hundred years. Hailey smiled at the ghost and he then introduced himself as Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington.

Suddenly Ron shouted that he knew who the ghost was and that his brother had told Ron about him.

"You're Nearly Headless Nick", said Ron.

Sir Nicholas asked Ron not to refer to him as Nearly Headless Nick as the sandy-hair boy, Seamus interrupted.

"What do you mean Nearly Headless? How could you possibly be nearly headless?", said Seamus.

Sir Nicholas looked irritated at the blonde boy and said, "Like this!", grabbing on to his left ear and pulling his head to the side as they all watched how his head swung off his neck and fell on to his shoulder as if it was hanging on a loose thread. It seemed as if someone had tried to behead him but failed to do so. The students looked stunned as Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck. Once his head was back on his shoulders, he said "So all you new Gryffindors, I hope you help us win the house championship this year". He kept on telling them how Gryffindor hadn't won a house cup in years and that Slytherin had won the cup six years in a row.

As they were seated and enjoying their meals, Hailey glimpsed at the Slytherin table. She noticed the horrible ghost sitting next to Draco Malfoy with his gaunt face and robe stained in silver blood. She wasn't pleased with what she had seen.

When they had finished eating, they saw how the food disappeared and how moments later the sweets appeared. They had everything they wished for right in front of them and couldn't help themselves but to dig in to the pile of sweets. Hailey noticed how Ron glimpsed at her and instantly dove right back down into the sweets in front of him and Hermione looked pleased with being sorted into the same house as Hailey Potter as they would become good friends. They were all getting to know one another as they were pleased with the meals they were served.

While taking a bite into the cake in front of her, Hailey noticed the man with black hair that Dumbledore and professor Quirrell was talking to. Hailey turned to Percy asking him who that man was as Ron and Seamus was busy digging into the sweets. Before Percy could answer, Hailey noticed how the man with black hair looked past Professor Quirrell and straight into Hailey's eyes. It was as if he knew her, as if she reminded him of someone.

Percy whispered, "That's Professor Snape, he teaches Potions. Not everybody knows and he'd rather keep it like that since he's after Professor Quirrell's job. He knows a lot about Dark Arts."

Snape kept looking at Hailey, he knew who she was, what had happened to her parents. He couldn't help but to feel sad about it as he was reminded of Hailey's mother, Lilly. He couldn't stop looking at her as he was constantly reminded of his feelings for Lilly.

When they had finished eating all the food disappeared and Professor Dumbledore stood up once again to warn the students about entering the Forbidden Forest. He made sure to speak out clearly and determined to assure them that it would lead to consequences if they broke the rules and entered the Forbidden Forest. He also told them that no magic should be used outside the classroom in the corridors.

Dumbledore also informed the first-years that whoever were interested in playing for their house teams during the Quidditch trials, should contact Madam Hooch.

Finally, Professor Dumbledore, warned the students about the third-floor corridor and that whoever broke the rules of going there, was to experience a painful death.

Hermione turned to Hailey as said, "I hope they all listen carefully to Dumbledore's words."

Percy couldn't help but to hear what Hermione said and assured them that it was strictly off limits for all student to go to the third-floor corridor.

When Dumbledore had finished warning the students, he asked them to join him in singing the school song, and so they all did. When they finished, they were all led to their dorms, where they would be sleeping. Boys and girls separated, which Ron were pleased with since he had already made a new friend, Seamus. Hailey and Hermione were also happy with that since they had both gotten along quite good so far.

When walking along the corridors, being led to their dorms by Percy, he made sure to tell them that they would want to watch out for Peeves. He told them that no one could control him but the Bloody Baron. Percy directed the boys and girls through the corridors at the top of a spiral staircase. They would stay in different towers at Hogwarts. When they entered their dormitories, they found their trunks already being brought up for them.

At the boy's dorm, Ron and Seamus were talking about how good the food was. As soon as they had slipped into their pajamas, Ron had already fallen asleep. And in the girl's dorm Hailey and Hermione had already gotten in bed and fallen asleep.

During the night, Hailey had a terrible nightmare. She dreamt about wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to him, trying to convince her about transferring to Slytherin. Hailey said she wouldn't, and she started to feel how the turban on her head started to feel heavier and heavier and then all of a sudden Draco Malfoy showed up in the dream as well, laughing at her as she was struggling to get the turban off. Hailey woke up in the middle of the night, sweating and breathing heavily. She felt how her entire body was shaking and once she realized it was all a dream, she tried to calm herself down to be able to roll over and go back to sleep again.

When Hailey woke up the next day, she had forgotten all about the dream and didn't remember it at all.

 **The potion master**

Ron waited for her in the common room that next morning and since the others had already left they headed of for breakfast together. But they didn't get very far before they found themselves to be lost. The staircase they had climbed to reach the portrait last night had somehow vanished.

"The staircases moves, remember" Ron said as he started to walk towards another staircase that had just arrived a bit to their right. Hailey hurried after him as she looked at the portraits on the walls.

Some of the frames were empty and she noticed that the people in the portraits kept going from frame to frame to visit each other. There really wasn't anything in this place that wasn't alive. Would she ever get used to this strange world she was now a part of, and had been without knowing it for her whole life.

When they still hadn't found the great hall twenty minutes later they gave up and started to search for the classroom where they would have their first class which would be Charms.

Soon they finally heard the mumble of voices coming from a staircase below and as they hurried down to see if there was anyone there to follow they saw what looked like 40 people or more all starring directly at them.

"Is that her?"

"Gotta be, don't you see the scar?"

"Who's the guy?"

" Must be Fred and George's little brother, look at the hair"

Hailey glanced at Ron before she quickly looked down at the floor and hoped that she wasn't as pink in the face as Ron when they stumbled throw the crowd. The whispers kept increasing and she saw how people stood on their toes to get a good look at her.

"Oh little Ronnie!" Hailey recognized the teasing voice of one of the Weasley twins and saw how Rons's pink face turned bright red as the twin started to talk loudly with each other.

"Pretends like he can't hear us, now does he?"

"A bit ashamed maybe"

"Ashamed to introduce his family to his new _friend"_ they said that last word with air-quotes around it.

"And what a pretty friend that is"

The twins had now placed themself right in front of Ron and Hailey, and Ron looked angrily at them while their smiles brightened.

"Ooh lighten up little Ronnie"

"Mom asked us to take care of baby Ronnie"

"So we will" their smile got wider and wider as Rons face got redder.

One of the twins laid a arm around Hailey "so where you heading?"

"Charms" Ron muttered

The twins showed them the way and jokingly bowed for Hailey before they winked to Ron and headed back towards their own class, laughing loudly before they disappeared.

Ron muttered as they walked inside the classroom. The classroom was empty aside from one seat where Hermione Granger sat with her nose so deep in her books that it seemed like she didn't even hear them come in. Ron shook his head and nodded towards some seats near the windows when Hailey moved closer to Hermione. She took the seat next to her and heard the trembling steps behind her as Ron sat down beside her whispering "why" as he glanced at the untidy brown mess that was Hermione's hair, because that was all that you could see of her now that see had buried her nose in the book.

Hailey cleared her throat and two eyes stuck up from behind the book.

"Anything interesting?" Hailey asked and Hermione smiled, showing two very large front teeth.

"Percy Weasley mentioned last night that we would probably turn matches into needles our first week so I'm learning about how you do that" She continued to explain every little important thing to know in detail as the room started to fill up.

Dean and Seamus showed up in the door and Ron quickly gestured to them to sit next to him and immediately turned away from the two girls to join their discussion, Seamus had continued a talk they had last night about quidditch. Dean was muggleborn so just like Hailey he had just found out about magic and all that comes with it, like the exciting sport Quidditch were everyone was flying on brooms to score in ginormous hopes.

Hailey wasn't very interested in what Hermione was saying but she tried to listen intensely as a way to ignore all the whispers and stares from her classmates, including Seamus who sat right next to Ron and kept her from joining their discussion, which she thought was way more interesting than Hermione's detailed description in how to make a needle from a match.

Even their teacher, professor Flitwick, gave a small squeak when he read Hailey's name from the name list and gave her a warm but nervous smile before he continued to call the names.

The rest of the week continued this way while they went throw herbology, history of magic, astronomy and defense against dark art. Their teacher in defense against dark art was professor Quirrell, the man with the turban that Hagrid had introduced to Hailey in the leaking cauldron. He seemed even more nervous now than he had been back then and his turban had begun to smell, something the Weasley twins found very funny as they spread the word that he had filled his turban with garlic because he was so afraid of a vampire he once fought against.

They hadn't done any actual magic until they had transfiguration with professor McGonagall. The class had started to become quite restless while waiting to do some magic but when McGonagall gazed out over the classroom and started the class with a warning about behaving they all found themselves to be dead still, they knew instantly that she wasn't anyone to cross.

Just like Hermione had predicted, their first lecture was about how to turn a match into a needle. Hailey wished that they had got to turn their desks into pigs just like McGonagall had done in the beginning of class. But instead she found herself very lucky that she had listened to Hermione before their charm lesson cause they were the only ones who managed to get the matches all silvery and pointy by the end of the class. Hermione had a whole bunch but Hailey was happy with herself when she saw the envious looks from Ron and the others who hadn't managed to transform a single one even if they were from wizard families.

The week went and Hailey started to notice that she never found herself to be lost again. As soon as she was about to wonder where she was, someone always managed to be there and point her in the right direction. Ron didn't always wait for her which meant that she automatically started to get to know some of the other students. Neville Longbottom was even more confused than he had seemed to be that first day, something Hailey liked since that made her realize that being raised by muggles hadn't made her fall behind as much as she had thought it would. Someone else that had proven this was Hermione who, even though she was a muggleborn, never failed to answer a teacher's question. Hermione was always seen with books in her hand or with her nose in the books and every night she sat on her bed and rambled a bunch of facts that may or may not be useful for the next day.

On Thursday Hailey was set to have a good night sleep before their first lesson with the Slytherins, which would be potion with professor Snape. The twins had warned them about Snape, he was head of the Slytherin house and having joined class with the Slytherins while you had Snape as your teacher always meant trouble since Snape tended to favor the students from his house. Hermione was determined to be as prepared as always and sat on her bed at night time with her books in front of her.

"bezoars can be used to save someone from poisons and it is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat"

"Can it also get you to stop talking?" Said Lavender Brown while she gave Hermione a irritated look.

"Or at least make us fall asleep" Parvati added.

"No…" Hermione answered

"But I could give you the Draught of Living Death"

"Wait what?" Hailey gasped. She wasn't prepared that Hermione would talk back like that. "You wanna give them poison?"

"No. The Draught of Living Death, it's a sleeping potion made from Asphodel and Wormwood" Hermione said still without looking up from her book.

Hailey sighed, of course Hermione hadn't understand the annoyance in Lavender's and Parvati's teasing. Or maybe she had but just didn't care.

On the morning of their potion class Hailey found that Ron and Dean had waited for her in the common room. She was relieved to see that Seamus had already joined Neville for breakfast. She couldn't help but to like it better when he wasn't around. Many of the students had eased up on the starring but some, like Seamus, was still starring at her every moment she was present like they were watching a unicorn. She had said this to Ron one day when they were walking to herbology whereupon Ron had said that unicorns was pretty rare and of course they were beautiful but they were nothing in comparison. He had then blushed and pretended to search for something in his pockets. Hailey had forgotten that unicorns actually existed and she thought about this fact this morning while they walked down to have breakfast.

"Ron..." she said and Ron looked up from their schedule.

"Unicorns exists, are dragons also real?" To her amazement this made Ron laugh.

"Of course dragons are real, my brother Charlie works with them in Romania"

"Seriously" Dean shouted as his eyes were tripled in size. He and Hailey looked at each other astonished with their new lives.

"What's up with those two?" Seamus asked and nodded to Hailey and Dean who had started a wild discussion what fairytale creature would be the coolest if it was actually real. Ron had interrupted them countless of times to explain that mermaids, giants and centaurs were all real.

"Muggleborns" Ron sighed and Seamus groaned.

"My dad is the same, he is a muggle while my mom is a witch" he explained just as Draco Malfoy walked by.

"A muggle?!" He shouted "You really do have an awful taste in friends, Potter. Two muggleborns, a half-blood, a potential squib and a blood traitor" he nodded towards Dean, Seamus, Neville, Ron and Hermione who sat a seat away looking annoyed at Draco.

The Slytherins laughed and Draco looked like he was on top of the world. Hailey who had taken the seat next to Neville stood up so she was face to face with Draco, or so she would have if he hadn't been almost two heads taller than her.

"I would choose them over a bully like you any day, you're just cranky because I turned you down and choose to be their friend instead"

Draco's smile fainted and he gave his potion book to Goyle, then he took one step closer to Hailey so that they were as close as possible which made him look even taller.

"Now you listen to me you little…"

"Back of Malfoy! You'll leave her alone!" Ron said in a harsh tone while his hand clutched his wand.

"Put that away mr. Weasley or you'll face detention" the strict voice of McGonagall made them all turn around and her face stopped Hailey from talking back.

Draco and the other Slytherins made their way back to their table and McGonagall looked angrily at Hailey and Ron.

"Malfoy started it professor, we didn't do anything" Hailey tried to explain but McGonagall's face only hardened.

"You are responsible for your own actions and the way you respond to things miss Potter. I won't have Gryffindors fighting in the great hall" She gave them a strict look and continued down the aisle.

"Does that mean we could fight Malfoy somewhere else" Ron grinned. Just as he said this they heard a shriek from a owl and before they knew it the mornings mail came delivered by a hundred of owls, all in different sizes and colors. Hailey saw Hedwig's white feathers among a parliament of brown owls. To her surprise she saw that Hedwig was carrying a white letter. She quickly opened the letter as soon as Hedwig dropped it in front of her and read it while feeding Hedwig with a bit of toast.

Dear Hailey

Would you like to come down on a cup of Tea around three, I know you have the afternoon of. I would love to hear about your first week. Send an answer back with Hedwig.

Hagrid

Thrilled by the Idea of visiting Hagrid, Hailey cluttered down her answer on the back of the note saying that she would be delighted to and sent Hedwig away.

She looked at Hedwig as she flew away and thought about the strange things her world was now filled with; magic, mail delivered by owls and real dragons.

She looked at the newspaper that Hermione had got in the morning mail.

"Could I take a look at that?" She asked and Hermione handed her the paper.

 _Gringotts break-ins latest_

Hailey read the article and saw that the date of the break-in was the same as when she and Hagrid was there. It could in fact have happened in the same time while they were there. She thought about it but then continued to another article about a young promising Quidditch player named Viktor Krum.

The potion class was located in the dungeons where it was dark and cold, but that was nothing compared to professor Snape. He had long, black, greasy hair, pale skin that made him look sick and wore a cape just as black as his hair. His face was as strict as McGonagall with the same thin lips but his eyes lacked the warmth and seemed lifeless, they were just dead black holes scanning the room until they stoped and gazed right at Hailey. For a second Hailey had thought she seen something in Snape's face, for a second he had looked as he was seized with sorrow but then it was gone and replaced with a look of suspicion.

"Silence. I will not have any kind of talk in my classroom" he said before calling their names from the name list. Just like Flitwick he stoped at Haileys name and looked right at her.

"Hailey Potter" he said with a tone of disgust when he pronounced her last name. "I've heard you think you are quite a star. Well that won't get you anywhere in my class, I don't worship celebrities like my colleagues. Let's see if you have what it takes to be in my class or if you will just be another troublemaker".

In the corner of her eye Hailey saw how Draco was smiling victoriously.

"What do you get from Asphodel and Wormwood?" Snape asked.

Hailey froze, she recognized those names. She then remembered how Hermione had talked about a sleeping potion with those ingredients last night.

"A sleeping potion, sir. Named…" she thought back at the discussion and remembered how she had thought it was a death poison. "Draught of Living death" as she said this she saw how Draco's smile faded away and how Snape looked curiously at her.

"What is a besoar?" He asked slowly.

Hailey smiled and relaxed, she knew this too thanks to Hermione.

"It's a stone from a goat's stomach that will save you from poison" she smiled at Hermione and saw how most of her classmates was looking surprised and admiring at her. She was in a way glad that Snape had questioned her because she had longed to show that she wasn't a helpless little girl that they had to protect.

The rest of the lecture they got to work in pairs trying to mix a potion to cure boils. Hailey had been surprised for not receiving any house points when she had been able to correctly answer Snape's questions but as the lecture continued she noticed that Snape was very quick with praising the Slytherins that he liked for things that they all succeeded to do while he patrolled around the Gryffindors and punished them for every little mistake they did.

Hailey noticed that Snape was spending much more time around her and Hermione's cauldron than the others. It was almost like he went back and forth from Draco to them and only stoping on the way to criticize the work of the other students. But while he praised Draco he only spoke to Hailey and Hermione when he had something to criticize, then only directed towards Hermione. Towards the end of class Hailey noticed that Snape seemed to make excuses to be near her and to even have direct contact with her, he stood way to close to her and accidentally touched her arm or hand like when he was showing them how their fangs was not correctly crushed.

The class ended sooner than it was supposed to cause just as Snape was telling everyone to look at the perfect way Draco had performed his potion, green smoke and screams were coming from Neville who had accidentally managed to melt Seamus cauldron and was now covered in the potion which seemed to leave horrible bubbling boils all over him.

"You stupid, idiotic boy" Snape growled as he cleaned away the mess with just a wave with his wand.

While Neville and Seamus hurried away to the school nurse, Snape turned to Ron and Dean, who had worked next to Neville and Seamus, and started to upbraid them for not explaining to Neville not to add quills when the cauldron was still over the fire. Hailey opened her mouth to object to this injustice but Ron had already foreseen this and stoped her.

When going to Hagrid after the lesson Hailey was still filled with anger over the scene which was multiplied by the uncomfortable feeling Snape was giving her.

"Can't believe him… blaming you… favoring the Slytherins…praising Malfoy" Ron looked at her and to Haileys surprise he looked amused by her anger.

"It was kinda fun when you showed him wrong for questioning you. Don't know how you knew all that rubbish though"

"Hermione is repeating our whole reading list out loud every night, something had to catch" Hailey smiled. Ron's smile faded a bit when she explained that it was thanks to Hermione. He always got a bit grumpy when Hermione was mentioned.

Hagrid lived in a small wooden house just a little bit from the forbidden forrest. Hailey looked at the forrest as they walked towards the house and thought again about the magical creatures that existed, some maybe only meters away, hidden by the darkness from the tall trees.

A loud barking greeted them as they knocked on the front door to Hagrid's and soon Hagrid's deep voice was ringing "Fang, stop yer barking an back away".

He opened the door and Hailey and Ron stepped into what seemed like the only room in the house. It was packed with things and smelled of nature and food. Over the fire a kettle was boiling and a massive bed stood in one of the corners. Everything was bigger than normal and so was the dog that was drooling on their cloaks.

They sat down around a round table and began to tell Hagrid about their first week as Hagrid served them tea and hard uneatable cookies. Hailey told him how they had gotten into trouble because of Malfoy that same morning.

"Gotta be Lucius boy that one. That family is always trouble"

"And Snape was even worse" Hailey continued and told him about their class.

"He is really a creep"

"Nonsense, he is only looking out far ya" Hagrid said but something in his way of avoiding eye contact made Hailey think that he was hiding something. While Hagrid refilled their cups Hailey noticed a newspaper and saw the article about the break-in.

"Did you see that the break-in was the same day as we were there" she said and picked up the newspaper. Hagrid grunted and took a bite from his cookie.

"It doesn't say what vault it was but it had been emptied earlier that day. It could have happened while we were there, Hagrid." Now Hailey was certain that Hagrid was hiding something from her because he ignored her and tried to refill their tea even though it was already full. Hailey sat quietly and thought about the break-in while Hagrid talked to Ron about his brother Charlie who worked with dragons. Hagrid had emptied a vault while they were their. Was that a coincident or was that the same vault. Was the little round package what someone risked robbing Gringotts for? And if so, why?

 **The Midnight Duel**

They hadn't had much encounters with the Slytherins since they only had potions together with them, but that was before they found out that flying classes would start and that they would have joined class on Thursdays with the Slytherins. This was a huge disappointment since they had been looking forward to start flying.

They had discussed the game of Quidditch since their very first day and now that the notification about flying classes had been put up the first years were going crazy. It seemed like almost every kid that came from wizards families had spent most of their lives up in the air and for the muggleborns this was a dream come true. Everyone except Neville and Hermione was dying of eagerness for Thursday to come.

Neville had always been a clumsy kid that could hurt himself laying down, so the last thing his grandmother wanted was to see him on a broomstick. As for Hermione this was the only class that she dreaded. You can't read yourself to become a great flyer, but if there was a way to do so Hermione would soon find it. She had read all that it was about Quidditch and flying, trying to pick up tips and tricks and had gone from talking aloud in her bed at night to talking loudly about it at breakfast to.

She was just in the middle of a lecture about something she read in _Quidditch Through The Ages_ when the morning mail came and a large brown owl circled down and dropped a package in front of Neville. Neville read the note.

"It's from my grandma" he opened the package and held up a glass ball with white smoke inside. "It's a remembrall! It tells you if you have forgotten something, grandma knows I keep forgetting things. If the smoke turns red it means…" he stoped talking and looked at the ball which was now filled with bright red smoke.

"What have you forgot?" Hailey asked but was interrupted by Draco who suddenly turned up behind them.

"His brain" he said as an answer to Haileys question and grabbed the ball from Nevilles hand.

"You give that back!" She was quickly at her feet, soon joined by Ron who looked like he thought of actually fighting Draco for the ball.

"You three again?" McGonagall snapped as she hurried towards them, apparently ignoring Crabbe and Goyle who toned up behind Draco.

"But professor" Parvati said who sat next to Hailey. "Malfoy took Nevilles remembrall."

"I wasn't taking it, only looking" Draco said as he dropped it back in front of Neville. He gave a quick glance towards Hermione, who looked like she was trying to kill him through stares, and then hurried back to the Slytherin table.

"I hope Malfoy falls off his broom this afternoon" Hailey muttered while getting a angry look from Hermione.

"He won't… I heard he's a great flyer" Lavender said with disappointment in her voice.

"Yeah and from whom did you hear that? Malfoy himself of course. Always bragging… probably not even true" Ron said and glanced at Draco who was showing of a package he got from home filled with sweats.

"You guys are so judgmental" Hermione said before she packed her things and left.

"So judgmental" Ron mimicked with a squeaky voice when Hermione was out of hearing distance.

At three-thirty that afternoon they went out on the grounds to have their first flying lesson. The Slytherins was already there, standing next to twenty or so old-looking brooms. Their teacher Madam Hooch, who was a middle-age witch with short, grey hair, looked at them with eyes the same color and shape as a hawk. Hailey looked at her and when she met those yellow eyes she got to thinking to herself that it was quite ironic how much of a bird their flying instructor looked like, maybe she flew like one too.

"Hurry up, what are you waiting for? Grab a broom each and stand next to it."

Hailey hurried towards a broom far away from Malfoy, she wasn't going to give him the pleasure of teasing her for not being able to fly. She looked down on the old broom next to her and saw how it had twigs sticking out.

"Stick out your hand over your broom and say 'UP'"

"Up!" Hailey's broom jumped right into her hand. She looked around and saw that most of her classmates were still shouting at their brooms. To her disappointment she saw that Draco too was standing with his broom in his hand with a smug expression in his face.

When everyone had finally got their brooms to listen to them madam Hooch got them to stand with their brooms between their legs in a starting position and told them the basic instructions.

"When I blow my whistle on three you kick off from the ground. 1…. 2…."

But before she had even put the whistle to her lips Neville, who had kicked the hardest he could in fear of being left on the ground, flew right up in the air. With no control over his broom he flew higher and higher while clinging on to the broom before loosing his grip and falling 20 feet right to the ground.

"Move away!" Madam Hooch yelled as she tried to get through the students that surrounded Neville.

Neville was pale as a ghost in the face with a tone of green, he had tears streaming down his cheeks and he was clutching his arm.

"Broken" madam Hooch stated as she helped Neville to get up on his feet.

"No one moves while I take Longbottom to the school nurse. If one of you so much as touch a broom you will be out of Hogwarts before you can say Quidditch"

She hurried away with Neville and Hailey looked at Nevilles broom which was flying on it's own right into the forbidden forrest.

Suddenly her thoughts was interrupted by a loud laugh. She instantly recognized that laugh and turned around to see Draco clutching his hand to his stomach and laughing his guts out.

"Did you see his face? That big lump"

"Shut up Malfoy" Parvati snapped while all the Gryffindors glared angrily at Draco. But he wasn't alone either.

"Oh sticking up for Longbottom, Patil? Guess you like fat cry-babies" said Pansy Parkinson, a slytherin girl that was always hanging after Draco. She looked proudly at Draco but he wasn't listening anymore, instead he was looking at something in the grass.

"Look everyone. Look what Longbottom dropped" he said while picking up a round ball from the grass.

Hailey saw how the remembrall glittered in Draco's hand.

"You give that to me now, Malfoy!" She said in a harsh tone while taking a step towards him.

"Oh you want this?" Draco said while taking a step back and picking up a broom from the ground.

"Well… better come and take it from me then" he said as he kicked off from the ground and elegantly flew right over her head.

Hailey looked at him smoothly flying in circles above them and cursed herself for thinking that he was just lying about being able to fly.

"What? Are the little girl scared of heights?" Draco teased her while joggling with the remembrall.

Hailey grabbed the nearest broom and felt a rush of excitement and jitters fill her body while the head was bubbling with anger towards Draco.

"Hailey NO! You could fall of and hurt yourself like Neville did" Ron shouted while Hermione tried to reason that she would get expelled if madam Hooch caught her.

But Hailey didn't listen, all she could hear was Draco's voice mocking her and she felt how her emotions was running through her whole body, lifting her right leg over the broom and taking a steady grip before kicking off from the ground. As she flew into the air she felt how her anger and jitters had staid on the ground and she leaned forward, feeling the wind go through her hair and unfurl her cloak behind her as the broom shoot through the air towards Draco. She almost flew right into Draco but in the last second he dodged the crash that would have pushed him right off his broom. He turned around and looked at Hailey, his face filled with fear and shock. Down on the ground the faces shifted between amazement and concern between the Gryffindors.

"I will say it one more time, Malfoy. Give me that!"

"Or else, what?" Draco said, while getting back some of his cockiness.

"Or else I push you down" Hailey threatened, taking a steadier grip around the broomstick as she was preparing to attack again. Draco looked nervously at her and at the ground below and then back at her again.

"You want it? Catch it!" He said and threw the ball as far as he could before quickly returning back to the ground.

Hailey leaned forward and the broom swooshed through the air, listening to her every command. She was good at this, for the first time in her life she was a natural at something. She was catching up with the ball but then just as she was about to reach it, it dropped height and started to fall right to the ground. She grabbed the handle and the broom followed it, she was just seconds from crashing when she felt the cold glass ball in her hand and straightened the broom to softly land on the ground as she ran towards her friends who were all cheering for her.

"Hailey Potter!" She looked up towards the castle and saw McGonagall hurrying right towards them with an expression of fear and anger that made her look even stricter than usual.

"You could have broken every bone in your body, how dare you!"

The other Gryffindors opened their mouths to defend her but one eye from McGonagall and they all took one step back and remained silent. McGonagall made her come with her and together they walked in silent through the castle halls before stoping outside the Charm classroom.

"One moment, Potter" McGonagall said as she knocked on the door and opened it. "Sorry to disturb but may I borrow Wood for a second?" She said as Hailey nervously looked at the back of her neck and wondered what kind of magical punishment tool Wood could be.

When McGonagall stepped back, Hailey saw that Wood was in fact another Gryffindor student.

"This is Oliver Wood. Wood, I have found you a new seeker" McGonagall said with triumph in her voice.

Wood looked half skeptical, half excited at Hailey.

"You sure professor? We do really need it but she's just a first year girl. Can she handle it?" He said and she bite her tongue not to talk back, she was just happy that it seemed like she wouldn't be expelled.

At dinner she told Ron what had happened.

"No way?" Ron said with eyes big as tennis balls.

"Wood seemed to think I couldn't handle it though"

"Well…" Ron started but before Hailey could hear the rest a voice interrupted them.

"Having your last meal before leaving?" Draco said.

"If you only knew" Ron said with a smirk. Draco looked suspiciously at him.

"I can't get your scared face out of my mind when you thought Hailey was gonna push you off your broom" Ron laughed, making Draco stare irritated right at him.

"I was not scared. She's just a girl"

"Right. A girl that can take you any day, any time" Hailey said with a big smile that she knew Draco would irritate himself at.

"Honey, I don't fight girls" Draco said with a degrading tone that made Haileys smile vanish.

"Well then fight me" Ron hissed.

Right then Hermione walked in and took the seat next to Hailey.

"Are you guys seriously at it again? Don't you ever get sick of acting like baboons?" She said and stared at Ron. Draco smirked for a second before he leaned in towards Ron. "The trophy room at midnight, you and me, wizard duel" he said in a quiet voice. "And bring your feisty little girlfriend" he added, giving Hailey a teasing wink.

"You are not going" Hermione decided and looked at Draco that had left to sit at his table, now looking at them while laughing with his friend.

"We are leaving" Ron said and gave Hermione an irritated gaze.

"I'm gonna give him for girlfriend" Ron muttered irritated under his breath as they were running up the stairs.

That night they were sitting in the common room waiting for the last people to go to sleep and as the clock struck closer to midnight the last few people went up the stairs to sleep.

"I can't believe you guys" said Hermione's voice behind them as the climbed out the portrait.

"He won't be there, don't you understand that? You are risking everything for nothing"

"How do you know he won't be there" Ron snapped at her.

"Because he… because I know, alright? It is obvious" Hermione trembled. Ron sighted and rolled his eyes at her but Hailey looked wonderingly at her, she knew something else was going on her but she couldn't take time to find out what right now.

"Ugh you are so frustrating! Hailey I know that you know better than this. I'm your friend, you really ought to listen to me. But if you want to get expelled." as she said this she turned around to get back in through the portrait but found it to be empty, the fat lady had gone on a nightly stroll.

Ron and Hailey had already started to make their way towards the trophy room when they suddenly tripped over something, it was Neville that had come back from the hospital wing only to find himself locked out and fallen asleep on the floor.

"Ron! Hailey! You have no idea how glad I am to see you! It's creepy out here at night all by yourself"

"Wait!" Hermione hissed as she hurried towards them.

"You can't leave me here all alone" she said in a scared tone, looking around.

"Well, yes we can. You are used to be all alone" Ron muttered. Hailey gave him a stern look and looked at Hermione that hung with her head.

"You can't leave me either" Neville cried and grabbed Ron's sleeve.

"Alright" Ron hissed and together they hurried soundlessly towards the trophy room.

There were no one there. Hermione was right, Draco had tricked them. They heard how someone was approaching and a loud 'meow' let them know that it was Filch and his cat mrs Norris. It was a known fact that Filch hated the students and was longing to punish every single of them. If they were caught now they would definitely be expelled, or worse.

As they were going backwards, trying to establish where the sound came from and what way Filch would take, Neville stumbled over a armor, leaving a clatter that could have wakened the whole castle. "RUN!" Hailey screamed as she dragged Neville up on his feet and started to run for her life. They didn't know where they were going, and this time there was no one to ask. They ran 'til they were out of breath and there was nowhere to go but through a door that was locked.

They were all gasping for air, Hermione was clutching the stitch in her chest and Neville was covered in sweat. "How… did you knew… Malfoy wouldn't… be there?" Ron asked Hermione while trying to breath.

"Because he told me. Alright? Draco told me" Hermione snapped. Ron got a surprised look on his face and seemed to forgotten about how he couldn't breath

"He.. told you? Why would he tell…"

"Because they are seeing each other in secret" Hailey said low. She had suspected it for weeks but had been so disgusted by the thought that she had decided that she been wrong. Now it wasn't only Ron that was surprised, all three of them looked confused at Hailey and then Ron looked at Hermione with such loathing and disgust that Hermione hang so low with her head that all you could see was her brown mess of hair.

She then looked up with a determination in her eyes but before she could speak a voice interrupted her. "Come on mrs Norris, they gotta be here somewhere. Oh how fun it's gonna be"

"Filch" Hailey whispered and Ron started to pull the locked door.

"Just open it" Hermione snapped.

"It's locked if you can't see that, your snake lover"

Hermione pushed him aside and grabbed his wand. "Alohomora" the door swung open. "I'm a witch, if you hadn't noticed" she said and they all hurried inside pressing their ears to the door, trying to hear anything. They heard how Filch came and went, muttering for himself.

After a minute or so they started to relax, all but Neville who was pulling their cloaks and sobering to himself. Hailey turned around to see what Neville was going on about and what she saw left her petrified. Right behind them, blocking the whole space, was a ginormous dog kettled to the floor. It had three terrifying heads, all on their way to wake up. She gave Ron a subtle push to notify him and when he turned around and saw the beast he gave out a horrified shriek. The beast was woken. All three heads had huge yellowish fangs that was dripping with saliva and it's eyes were fixated right at them. As they stood petrified all four of them, the three-headed dog started to growl. Just as Hermione swung the door open it flew right at them, all three mouths biting and growling after them. They shut the door and ran as fast as they could back to the Gryffindor tower, they would rather take Filch than that beast any day.

Back in the common room they sat gasping for air and terrified of what they had seen. It took more than ten minutes before any of them spoke.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked.

"Did you look at it?" Hermione said

"Of course I looked at it, it was looking right at me! With six eyes!"

"You should really open your eyes" she said and turned to Hailey. "It was standing on a trap door"

"It is guarding something" Hailey said under her breath, thinking about the little package that had been in vault 713 and was now somewhere else.


End file.
